We’ve all experienced it. That regular, constant, irritating drip, drip, drip of a bathroom tap with a faulty washer.
We see it, we know it’s faulty, but either can’t be bothered to fix it, or don’t have the learning or knowledge of how to do so.
Fix me, fix me, fix me!
Over time, the drip gets faster and faster. In the dead quiet of night, the sound of it seems to get louder.
It is as though the drips are saying “Fix me, fix me, fix me. Fix me, fix me, fix me.”
Some people will eventually call a plumber to fix the broken washer, as they don’t know how to do it themselves, or better still, will learn how to fix it themselves.
Others leave it until it is too late, and eventually the washer fails completely, subsequently causing a huge amount of water damage, and a greater cost to fix it than just a few pence for a new washer.
The Dysfunctional Team
In an office, one of the team is a few minutes late for a regular team meeting, so the meeting is delayed. The following week two people are late. Drip, drip, drip.
Then a process goes wrong during the month because an issue wasn’t discussed due to the late start of the meeting.
The following month, it happens again and has a knock on effect on other processes. Drip, drip, drip.
Subsequently, an important deadline is missed. Drip, drip, drip.
Nobody holds their hand up to be accountable for the issues caused.
Stress levels rise, trust begins to decline, as does the commitment to sort out the issues. Drip, drip, drip, drip, drip, drip.
Eventually there is a total breakdown in teamwork.
Sound familiar?
The leaking tap and the dysfunctional team have the same problem: small, unattended issues that grow into something larger.
The Solution
Fixing either one isn’t complicated, but it requires attention, cooperation, and the willingness to repair what was broken before the damage becomes too great.
Just as a quick twist of a wrench or replacement washer could stop the tap’s constant drip, measuring and understanding and repairing those areas of teamwork that are causing the team challenges, could quickly take it from dysfunction to high-performance.
Our Team Synergy provides teams with both the learning and tools to enable you to just do that, without the need for external support and additional costs.
Follow Our Team Synergy’s LinkedIn Page, and learn how to stop drips turning into disasters.
https://www.linkedin.com/company/103815701
Our Team Synergy. Your Team Success.
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